Red and White Purse

I finished this needlepoint picture this morning. I have been working on it for a couple months (along with several other projects). I stitched most of it in silk thread and basic needlepoint stitches. I am very happy with the way it turned out. I just need to lace it onto a mounting board and then put it on the purse. It looks very Doris Day to me.

Another Purse

I needed a sense of accomplishment today so I made another purse like Brittany's. This one is a pink floral. The fabric is Moda's Posh. It's very girly. I haven't had a lot of time to be creative lately and I think that is going to be the norm for a while. I will try to get as much done as I can. Every day I try to work on my needlepoint purses. The red and white one should be done by next week. Then I need to figure out how to attach it to the purse. The house piece I am sending out to a finisher. It would be too much stress for me. I hope to have pictures of the purses soon.

Weekend Projects

I worked on my needlepoint and scrapbooks all weekend. I finished one scrapbook for my niece and another for my sister. I'm giving my niece a book for Mother's Day. I didn't put any pictures in it, I just put the book together. It is about her daughter. All she has to do is put in 5 or 6 pictures and do a little journaling. The other book is a Christmas gift for my sister. I would like to make one for each of my sisters this year. I would also like to make one for each of my children, that's why I'm working on them now. I also did a lot of needlepoint. I would like to finish both purse fronts before June. I ran out of Grandeur so I have to wait until Wednesday to buy some. I can work on the backround for the house purse. I am ready to move on to a new project but I have to finish these first. I also need to finish the pieces I am doing for my granddaughters. So many things I want to do!

pears

In my quest to finish projects I already have I made this table mat yesterday. I have had this kit for over four years. I don't know why it took my so long to get to it. I think it turned out very nice. I really like working with wool and I hope to make more table mats.

Wednesdays

I really enjoy Wednesdays. I go to Village Needleworks in Westmont and meet with several other women for a class in needlepoint. We work on projects of our choice and at our own pace. Our instructor teaches us new stitches and helps us pick fibers for our individual pieces. It is such a great group of women. We learn from one another and offer advice on our needlepoint projects. We started as a basic needlepoint class and decided we wanted to continue meeting. I have learned so much and I look forward to each Wednesday.

Tonight's Quilt

I made this quilt top this evening in about an hour and a half. It was from a Moda charm pack. I don't normally like to make small quilts but I have several packs and I want to use them up. I'd like to add a border or two. I don't have any fabric that will go with these colors, I guess that means a trip to the quilt shop. I don't usually use such bright colors. I don't know what I am going to do with it once it is finished, but it was fun and easy to make. I am happy I got to use another charm pack. I have to stop buying them. I just can't resist them. I hope to make another small quilt this week. I have one that I bought at Rosemont that I'm really anxious to start.

All Our Stuff

Yesterday I went to Rosemont for Quilt Festival. We got a late start, traffic was terrible, construction everywhere. There were four of us in the car so at least we talked while we waited. We finally got in around noon. We went straight to our favorite booth, Country Threads. They had so much to see. I love quilting. We spent the next few hours looking at fabric, patterns and quilts. A great way to spend the day. I bought two kits and a couple patterns and some fat quarters. I also picked up a lot of ideas. I didn't buy as much as I have in the past, I have so many projects to finish. However, just being there makes me want to pull out my machine and get started.

To market, to market

Tomorrow I am going to Quilt Market at Rosemont. I am so excited, this will be my fourth year in a row. I am going with three other quilters and we will be meeting hundreds more there. I have my favorite booths to look for and I'm sure I'll be adding new favorites this year. I hope to have a lot of pictures tomorrow.

Organizing my Stuff

I've started going through all my stuff. I have so much! I can't count the unfinished projects I have everywhere. I have quilts to be quilted and quilt blocks to be assembled. There's too many cross-stitch projects for me to count. I also have several needlepoint canvases I need to finish. I don't want to be a collector of crafts, I want to be a doer of crafts. I don't really want to get rid of anything, I want to use what I have. Some things I might need to find a new use for. I am challenging myself to finish one old project a month or find a new way to use the supplies for an old project I no longer want. Every year for Christmas I try to make as many gifts as I can. This is one way to do that. I might even be able to give more to the shelter this year. I would like to give at least two quilts and five or six scarves. I'll see what else I can come up with.

Brittany's purse

I made this purse last week after seeing one my friend Barb made for her daughter-in-law. I wanted to make it for my youngest daughter Britt. I wasn't able to find round handles in black but I did find rectangle ones. I am very happy with the way the bag turned out. It was very simple to make. I might make a couple more for the summer.

Little Gramma

My gramma, Little, is the one who started my crafting journey. She taught my how to crochet when I was six. I still remember my first project. She had me chain stitch with pink worsted weight yarn for hours. After I went to bed that night she made a rug for my Barbie house with the chain. I wish I still had that rug. She also taught me how to embroider. I don't remember my first project, I'm sure it was a tea towel or pillow case. From the very beginning I loved the feel of a needle and thread in my fingers. Many years later I taught my gramma how to cross stitch. I was so happy to share this with her. I have many things my Little made for me. I still use a crocheted spread on my bed that she made when we bought our first house. She actually crocheted valances for my dining room and family room. I hope to pass on this tradition to my granddaughters.

Choosing a name

Choosing a name for my blog was easy. A few months ago my friend, Jen, started giving me stitching pieces she picked up at antique shops. One piece in particular is a stamped tablecloth to embroider. The original price tag for $1.99 was still on it. I want to embroider this piece and use it on my table. I will stitch the piece in honor of the original owner. My sister has a tablecloth that my mother started years ago and never finished. I'd like to finish this piece also. I will restore their legacy. Finishing these projects and others like them link me to these women. I like the idea of tradition and this is a tradition I can keep for them. I have a lot of projects in mind to finish. I am really enjoying this new journey.

My First Post

I am so happy to have started this adventure. I love to create, sometimes using needle and thread, sometimes with yarn and sometimes paper. I also enjoy talking and reading about crafts and hearing what other people are doing. I love learning about new things. I have wanted to do this for some time and now is the time. I hope my posts improve with time as I become more comfortable with the process.